Registering pool-rack.



A. N. OLSEN.

REGISTERING POOL RACK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5. IQII.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

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A. N. OLSEN.

REGISTERING POOL RACK APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, I911- 1,286,075. Patented Nov. 26, 191.8.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ALFRED N. OLSEN, OF ROCK RAPIDS, IOWA.

REGISTERING POOL-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1918.

Application filed March 15, 1917. Serial No. 155,126.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED N. OLSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rock Rapids, in the county of Lyon and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Registering Pool-Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to registering devices for game appliances, such, for example, as pool table racks, the primary aim of the invention being to provide a registering device which will automatically register the number of games played as the rack or other appliance is put to its customary use. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide a pool table rack with a registering device designed to be automatically actuated when the rack is disposed upon the pool table in the act of racking the balls so that players using the table cannot begin a new game without the same being registered by the device embodying the invention. Inas much as it is necessary to employ the usual triangular table rack in order to properly rack the balls for a game of pool and the registering device embodying the present invention is so mounted upon the rack as to render it impossible to use the rack except by causing actuation of the registering device, the proprietor of the pool room is not required to keep track of each game played but need only inspect the table rack after the players have discontinued use of the table.

It is another object of the invention to so construct the registering mechanism that the same cannot be tampered with to cause false registration.

The invention also has as its object to provide an actuating element for the mechanism so constructed that during the use of the rack it may be held by the thumb of one hand in a predetermined position and will actuate the registering mechanism immediately upon release but not before such time so that the player using the rack may first rack the balls and then lift the rack therefrom, as is customary, to note whether the racked balls are mutually frozen, and if they are not, may again apply the rack without more than the single game being registered.

In the accompanying drawings,

F lgure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the registering device, partly in section, the table rack to which the device is applied being shown in section and disposed in racking position;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the registering device, the cover plate for the casing being removed to better illustrate the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line li of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a group perspective view illustrating the parts comprising the mechanism disassembled.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the ordinary triangular pool table rack, one side of which is indicated by the numeral 2, this side constituting, in the use of the rack, the rear side thereof. While the registering device embodying the present invention is designed primarily for use in connection with a pool table rack it is to be understood that it may be employed in connection with various game appliances having a portion which, in the customary use of the appliance, is to be brought to bear against a playing surface and in the instance of a pool table rack this portion comprises the lower edges 3 of the sides of the rack, or in other words, those edges which are to be brought to bear upon the surface of the pool table when the rack is employed in racking the balls and as will be presently explained the registering device embodies an actuating element which is so located with relation to the said portion of the appliance as to first engage said surface in the use of the appliance.

The mechanism comprising the device is inclosed within a casing, the body of which comprises a front wall 4, side walls 5, a bottom wall 6, and a top wall 7, the casing body having its open rear side closed by means of a cap plate 8 secured in place in any suitable manner. The side walls 5 of the casing are provided with attaching ears 9 and the front wall 4 is disposed against the rear face of the back 2 of the rack and screws or other securing elements 10 are passed through the ears 9 and into the said back 2. By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings it will be observed that the lower end of the casing, or, more specifically, the underthe rack be disposed withits basal portion 3, or, in other words, the lower edges of its sides 5 resting upon the surface of the pool table. Projecting rearwardly from the front wall 4 of the casing near the top 7 is a stub shaft 11 upon which is rot-atably mounted the hub portion 12 of a doubleratchet,

one ratchet being indicated by the numeral 7 13 and the other by the numeral 14. The ratchet 13 is located next adjacent the rear side of the front wall 4 of the casingand the hub 12 projects rearwardly beyondthe ratchet 14 and is exteriorly squared, as at 15, and has fitted thereon, for rotation therewith, a wheel 16 having upon its periphery a number of numerals 17 consecutively arranged in an annular series. The top 7 of the casing is formed with a sight opening 18 and the upper side of the wheel 16 rotates close to or within this opening, the opening being of such size as to expose to view but a single one of the numerals upon the periphery of the wheel. It will now be understood that as intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the wheel 16 through the ratchet 13 and the coaction therewith of a pawl device to be presently explained, the

numerals 17 upon the periphery of the wheel will be successively brought to position opposite the opening 18 and these numerals, of course, indicate the number of games played. In order to prevent backward rotation of the ratchet 13, there is provided a pawl 18 pivotally mounted, as at 19, upon the rear face of the front wall 4 of the casing and yieldably held in engagement with the said ratchet 13 at one side thereof by means of a leaf spring 20. Mounted upon the said rear face of the front wall 4 of the casing at the other side of the ratchet 13, are spaced parallel guides 21 having their adjacent sides channeled or undercut, as at 22, to

slidably receive a slide bar 23 which is thus mounted for reciprocation and pivoted, as at 24, upon the said bar at its upper end is a finger 25 having a laterally extending hooked end 26 designed to coact-"with the ratchet teeth 13 in the manner clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings. A leaf spring 27 is secured at its lower end upon the bar 23 and at its upper end bears against the said finger 25 and serves to yieldably hold the same in engagement withthe said ratchet. when the bar 23 is slid upwardly the end 26 0f the finger 25 will ride overon'e of the It will now be understood that ratchet teeth 13 and that when the bar 23 is again slid downwardly the lowering of the finger 25 will serve to impart rotary motion to the ratchet 13 a distance of one tooth. In order that reciprocatory motion may be imparted to, the bar 23 when the rack is put to its customary use, the bar is provided with a laterally extending arm 28 and depending from the end of this arm is a stem 29' which extends downwardly through a bracket 30 upon the rear face of the front 4 and also through an opening in-the bottom6 of the casing. "A spiral spring-31 is secured at its inner end upon the front wall of the casing and at its outer end is engaged with a stud-32 at theend of the arm 28, the spring normally holding the arm in lowered position and, consequently,

similarly acting upon the bar 23 and stem 29! As; stated; the stem 29 extends through the bottom 6 of the casing and, consequently, below the basal portion 3 of the rack and at its'lower end the stem is providedwith a presser plate 33 designed to be brought into contact with the playing surface ofthe pool table when the rack is disposed thereon. For a purpose to be presently explained a finger piece 34 extends from the rear side of the presser plate 33 and upwardly in rear of the plate 8 and thence rearwardly, as at 35. In order to prevent forward rotation of the ratchet 14 and thus prevent forward rotation of the wheel 16, except when the registering mechanism is actually actuated through the use of the rack or other appliance, a pawl 36 is pivotally mounted, as at 37, upon one of the guides 21 and is provided at its upper end witha tooth 38 coacting with the ratchet,

downwardly and fits through an elongated eye 40 upon the arm 28. The lower portion of the stem 39 is turned laterally at a slight angle, as at 41, and thence laterally at an angle in the opposite direction as at 42.-

Thus between the portions 41 and 42 there is provided a shoulder 43 designed to coact with one end of the elongated eye 40, and the portion 42 constitutes a finger designed to coact with the other. end of the said elongated eye. It will now be apparent, and particularly by reference to Figs. 3 and 5 of the drawings, that upon upward movement of the arm 28 one end of the eye 40 will ride over the shoulder 43 thereby imparting rocking movement to the pawl 36 and moving its tooth 38 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 14, thereby permitting forward rotation of the said ratchet and the ratchet 13 through the medium of the reciprocatory bar 23 and tooth 25 in the downward movement of the latter, the tooth 38 being maintained in position out of engagement with the ratchet 14 during such downward movement of the bar 23 until the ratchet 13 has been rotated a distance of one tooth and the other end of the eye 40 has been brought into engagement with the finger 42 whereupon the pawl 36 will be again rocked so as to bring its tooth 38 into engagement with the rack 14:.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understood that when the rack is to be employed in racking the balls prior to playing a game of pool, and it is placed in racking position upon the playing surface, of the pool table, the presser plate 33 will first engage the said playing surface and as the rack is lowered to position with its basal portion 3 resting entirely upon the surface, the stem 29 will be moved upwardly thereby imparting corresponding movement to the arm 28 and bar 23 against the tension of the spring 31, and causing, as before stated, the pawl 36 to move out of engagement with the ratchet 14 and the finger 25 to ride over one tooth of the rack 13. lVhile the rack is in this position the thumb of one hand may be engaged beneath the finger piece 35 and upward pressure may be maintained to prevent lowering of the stem 29 so that the person racking the balls may lift the rack and again apply the same if the balls are not properly racked and without a second time causing actuation of the stem. However, when the rack is finally removed and the thumb is disengaged from the finger piece 25 the spring 31 will promptly move the stem 29 downwardly to normal position, thereby lowering the arm 28 and bar 23 and causing the finger 25 to rotate the ratchet 13 a distance of one tooth, thereby imparting rotary motion to the wheel 16 to bring the next highest numeral in position before the sight opening 18.

It will be understood that the casing for the mechanism constitutes, in effect, a fender preventing use of the rack if the rack is disposed with the upper end of the frame lowermost.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination with a racking frame having a basal portion, which, in the customary use of the frame, is to be brought to bear against a playing surface, of registering means carried by the frame and including an actuating element so located with relation to said portion of the frame as to first engage said surface, the said means including an element projecting beyond that side of the frame opposite the basal side, whereby to prevent use of the frame in an inverted position.

2. The combination with a racking frame, of registering means carried by the said frame and including an actuating element projecting below the frame, and a rigid portion projecting above the frame, whereby to prevent use of the frame in an inverted position. Y

3. The combination with a racking frame, of registering means carried by the frame and including an actuating element projecting below the frame, and a fender projecting above the frame at one side thereof to prevent disposal of the frame in inverted position upon a playing surface in a manner which would permit of racking of playing balls.

a. The combination with a game appliance having a basal side, of registering means carried by the said appliance and including an actuating element projecting below the plane of the said side, and manually engageable means whereby the actuating element may be restrained against movement in one direction.

5. The combination with a game appliance having a basal side, of registering means carried by the said appliance and including an actuating element projecting below the plane of the said side, and a finger piece carried by the said element and engageable to hold the actuating element in the position to which it is moved when actuated through disposal of the frame upon a playing surface.

6. The combination with a game appliance having a portion, which, in the customary use of the appliance, is to be brought to bear against a playing surface, of registering means carried by the appliance and including an actuating element so located with relation to said portion as to first engage said surface, and a finger piece carried by the said element and engageable to hold the actuating element in the position to which it is moved when actuated through disposal of the frame upon a playing surface.

7. The combination with a racking frame interiorly unobstructed, of registering means mounted upon the outer face of one side of the racking frame and including an actuating element normally projecting below the base of the racking frame whereby when the frame is disposed upon the surface of a pool table with its base resting thereon the said element will be moved upwardly to actuate the registering mechanism.

8. In a registering device of the class described, a casing having a sight opening therein, an indicator element rotatably mounted with its periphery arranged to pass the said sight opening, ratchets rotatable with the said indicator element, a pawl coacting with one of said ratchets to prevent backward rotation of the element, a pawl having a relatively fixed pivot and coacting with the other ratchet to normally prevent forward rotation of the indicator element, a slidable member mounted within the casing, a pawl carried thereby and coacting element yieldaloly holding the same moved in the direction stated, coacting means upon the said sliding element and the second mentioned pawl for moving the latter upon its pivot out of engagement With the secondmentioned ratchet When the said slidable 10 member is moved in an opposite direction to thatzstated, and meansv projecting exteriorly of the casing and-connected with the said slidable member for moving the same in the last-mentioned direction.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALFRED N. OLSEN. at Y Copies of this patent may be obtained for five -cents each by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

